Harris Associates
Team Lead, Portfolio Accounting
Harris Associates, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
At Harris, the true value of what makes us successful is found in our people. It is our unique mix of cultures, experiences, beliefs and backgrounds that sets Harris apart from the rest. We constantly strive to cultivate, nurture and amplify an unparalleled environment, where we value intellectual curiosity and uniqueness of thought. Inclusion is embedded in the very fabric of our culture of collaboration and openness.
We understand that a job description only tells one part of a broader story, and Harris is seeking dynamic candidates who can add to our best-in-class environment. We recognize that qualifications can be gained through both traditional and non-traditional paths, and we are committed to considering candidates who possess the potential to be excellent in this role regardless of prior experiences.
Therefore we encourage ALL interested individuals to submit their applications, even if they do not meet every requirement outlined in the job description.
The Position
The Portfolio Accounting team is responsible for the reconciliation and investment accounting activities for all Harris accounts including mutual funds, limited partnerships, institutional and private wealth accounts. Primary functions include daily cash and position reconciliations, cash flow processing and forecasting, daily NAV oversight for the Oakmark Funds and recording of daily account activity. The team will be outsourcing some of these high-volume functions to a third party in the future. As this transition happens, the team's focus will shift to oversight and control of these functions.
The Portfolio Accounting Team Lead serves as the subject matter expert on the team’s core responsibilities and is the first point of escalation for all day-to-day operations. They must have a control-oriented mindset, be resourceful, and have a high degree of integrity. They must also be able to effectively multitask while thinking critically and maintaining strong attention to detail. Specifically, the Team Lead is expected to oversee the team’s production-related workflows with little guidance, independently assist other team members in resolving issues in a timely manner, and effectively communicate with, and escalate to, the manager of the team. The Team Lead is also expected to help in developing other team members.
This position requires daily interaction with a variety of internal teams including Portfolio Implementation, Performance Analytics, Account Services, Client Services, and other operations teams. Key stakeholders also include external parties such as custodians, vendors, consultants, and clients.
Responsibilities
Oversee day-to-day operations of Portfolio Accounting team to ensure that work is completed, and deadlines are met.
Perform supervisory reviews and quality control checks. Identify potential risk items through these reviews and escalate appropriately.
Ensure team’s understanding of departmental procedures and processes via on-going training. This includes the preparation of a detailed training syllabus, coordinating training schedules/sessions, evaluating and updating procedures when necessary, and ensuring successful onboarding of new employees.
Serve as the subject matter expert and escalation point for the team.
Quickly gain comprehensive understanding of all functions on the team and be able to provide coverage when the team is short-handed.
Help build and sustain highly performing team through performance management, mentoring and coaching.
Proactively identify and pursue process improvements to enhance internal controls and increase efficiency.
Provide project management support for firm designated initiatives for which Portfolio Accounting Department is a stakeholder.
Serve as the team’s representative in the Incident Remediation Group.
Effectively coordinate with other teams across the firm on the onboarding and offboarding of institutional and private client accounts.
Structure and lead weekly team meeting.
Assist the manager in effectively allocating work among team members.
Qualifications
Required
Minimum of eight years of relevant experience within a financial services firm and/or top tier accounting firm
Strong working knowledge of operations and/or accounting functions within an investment management (and preferably mutual fund) organization
Excellent leadership skills and ability to support and maintain highly performing team
Demonstrated ability to assess risk and escalate appropriately and effectively
Ability to exercise independent judgment, to think critically and solve complex problems in a timely manner
High degree of integrity, accountability, resourcefulness, and reliability
Intellectual curiosity and eagerness to learn
Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment with a high level of flexibility, accuracy, and attention to detail.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, with a positive and professional attitude
Bachelor’s degree in business related discipline, preferably finance or accounting
Highly skilled in Microsoft Office products
Preferred
Experience with trading systems, performance management and accounting systems, Bloomberg, and a CRM platform
Prior team or project leadership experience
Experience providing oversight to outsourced functions
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We understand that a job description only tells one part of a broader story, and Harris is seeking dynamic candidates who can add to our best-in-class environment. We recognize that qualifications can be gained through both traditional and non-traditional paths, and we are committed to considering candidates who possess the potential to be excellent in this role regardless of prior experiences.
Therefore we encourage ALL interested individuals to submit their applications, even if they do not meet every requirement outlined in the job description.
The Position
The Portfolio Accounting team is responsible for the reconciliation and investment accounting activities for all Harris accounts including mutual funds, limited partnerships, institutional and private wealth accounts. Primary functions include daily cash and position reconciliations, cash flow processing and forecasting, daily NAV oversight for the Oakmark Funds and recording of daily account activity. The team will be outsourcing some of these high-volume functions to a third party in the future. As this transition happens, the team's focus will shift to oversight and control of these functions.
The Portfolio Accounting Team Lead serves as the subject matter expert on the team’s core responsibilities and is the first point of escalation for all day-to-day operations. They must have a control-oriented mindset, be resourceful, and have a high degree of integrity. They must also be able to effectively multitask while thinking critically and maintaining strong attention to detail. Specifically, the Team Lead is expected to oversee the team’s production-related workflows with little guidance, independently assist other team members in resolving issues in a timely manner, and effectively communicate with, and escalate to, the manager of the team. The Team Lead is also expected to help in developing other team members.
This position requires daily interaction with a variety of internal teams including Portfolio Implementation, Performance Analytics, Account Services, Client Services, and other operations teams. Key stakeholders also include external parties such as custodians, vendors, consultants, and clients.
Responsibilities
Oversee day-to-day operations of Portfolio Accounting team to ensure that work is completed, and deadlines are met.
Perform supervisory reviews and quality control checks. Identify potential risk items through these reviews and escalate appropriately.
Ensure team’s understanding of departmental procedures and processes via on-going training. This includes the preparation of a detailed training syllabus, coordinating training schedules/sessions, evaluating and updating procedures when necessary, and ensuring successful onboarding of new employees.
Serve as the subject matter expert and escalation point for the team.
Quickly gain comprehensive understanding of all functions on the team and be able to provide coverage when the team is short-handed.
Help build and sustain highly performing team through performance management, mentoring and coaching.
Proactively identify and pursue process improvements to enhance internal controls and increase efficiency.
Provide project management support for firm designated initiatives for which Portfolio Accounting Department is a stakeholder.
Serve as the team’s representative in the Incident Remediation Group.
Effectively coordinate with other teams across the firm on the onboarding and offboarding of institutional and private client accounts.
Structure and lead weekly team meeting.
Assist the manager in effectively allocating work among team members.
Qualifications
Required
Minimum of eight years of relevant experience within a financial services firm and/or top tier accounting firm
Strong working knowledge of operations and/or accounting functions within an investment management (and preferably mutual fund) organization
Excellent leadership skills and ability to support and maintain highly performing team
Demonstrated ability to assess risk and escalate appropriately and effectively
Ability to exercise independent judgment, to think critically and solve complex problems in a timely manner
High degree of integrity, accountability, resourcefulness, and reliability
Intellectual curiosity and eagerness to learn
Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment with a high level of flexibility, accuracy, and attention to detail.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, with a positive and professional attitude
Bachelor’s degree in business related discipline, preferably finance or accounting
Highly skilled in Microsoft Office products
Preferred
Experience with trading systems, performance management and accounting systems, Bloomberg, and a CRM platform
Prior team or project leadership experience
Experience providing oversight to outsourced functions
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